MESSAGE FROM
OUR PRESIDENT

Streaming. Bingeing. Loving CPT12 Passport. Welcome Here.

03.01.2019

We invite you to March into a world of travel, drama, cooking, news and more – available now to you, our valued members, through our recently-launched CPT12 Passport!

Beginning this month, we now provide an extended library of PBS and CPT12 content with a whole new way of watching the best of what PBS and CPT12 has to offer… marching to the new rhythm of how we all as individuals have been watching our favorite programs more recently – by bingeing on documentaries and program episodes in places and at times that are most convenient to us.

CPT12 Passport heralds a new era for us and for you! Our viewers are the center point for our content service; you define the scope of our content, guide the broadcast schedule for kids, young adults and seasoned adults, and you hold us to our mission of delivering quality content, produced with creativity and integrity. We are proud to be close to celebrating 40 years of providing inspiring, thought-provoking content to Colorado viewers, and we are humbled by your continued support of our mission.

It is your support that drives us to continue to reach higher and deeper to ensure that you can continue to count on us to be your go-to station, whether you prefer watching programs on your television set or on your digital and mobile devices. And thanks to your support, we bring you something so much bigger – all of the PBS programs that you love to watch, regardless of where the current program episode falls in our broadcast schedule.

Are you embarrassed at the office water cooler because you missed season 3 of Downton Abbey and just couldn’t catch up? Here’s your chance to binge the entire series, start to finish! Do you need to find that special episode of NOVA on our changing coral reefs for a school project? Look no further than CPT12 Passport!

If you are a qualifying member of CPT12, you have an activation code waiting for you. Just follow the link that was emailed to you (or look it up here), and in just a couple of minutes, you and your favorite program device or screen will have the world at your fingertips. And remember, CPT12 and the PBS teams are here to help you access your CPT12 Passport if you hit any snags. You can call use our web form or call 303-296-1212 to check on your membership status; or you can visit PBS Support or call 1-844-585-00234 for any technical questions.

And don’t forget, if you have a friend, family member or neighbor that relies on PBS to bring them the best and widest scope of programming about our world, please let them know about CPT12 Passport! Together, we’ll continue to grow.

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

P.S. In March we spend time reaching out to people who might be interested in our special programming. Be sure to check it out!

Opinions. Diversity. Chocolate. Welcome Here.

02.01.2019

February is a special month. It’s the only month with fewer than 30 days. It’s the only month in which there can be no full moon and no new moon. And it’s the only month whose length varies every four years.

It’s also a month in which our thoughts turn to love as we note the Hallmark card aisles filling with Valentines for those in our lives with whom we share our history and our life journeys. February also brings Black History Month, and for broadcasters, that means we will be provided with programming on the contributions, discoveries and civil rights challenges of African Americans. But at CPT12, we’ve always seen Black History Month as a double-edged sword.

And while we recognize one very important community throughout February with Black History Month with special programming, it’s also a frustration of ours that this attention is often limited to only one month in each year. Some stores will promote special sales or discounts in “honor” of Black History Month, or at least will tie a branding message to February. While I enjoy reading about and watching new stories on Black History or any other demographic group’s history, I am actually interested in this subject year-round, not just in February.

Sometimes my life’s journeys take the same path as those who are different from my DNA, and sometimes they diverge. Regardless, these connections are important to me personally and they are also important to all of us at CPT12.

Not only do we welcome people from all walks of life, but ages, ethnicities, viewpoints, and persuasions. We believe that when a community has a place to share our stories through different lenses, we all benefit. Our histories then become intertwined, and we can more easily see the common threads that hold us together.

So in addition to the special content we have lined up for February, you can find an equal amount of ethnic diversity in our program schedule every month of the year.
We accomplish this by connecting with you, our viewers from all age groups, ethnicities, religious and political affiliations, gender, socio-economic status and any other identifier that we create.

You do not need a driver’s license, DNA test, or member card of any kind to drop us a line to tell us what you want to see more of on CPT12, what you think about our community, and how we can better serve you.

Here at CPT12, we make a point to celebrate diverse peoples and ideas throughout the year. You are welcome here. Every month of the year!

So while you can check out special Black History Month programming on Sundays from 1 – 3pm on Channel 12.2, you’ll also find the same kind of high quality, thoughtful and engaging programming throughout this year and beyond.

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

P.S. Later this month we will have a very bingeable treat coming your way. Stay tuned for a special February surprise!

Wise words. Welcome Here.

01.01.2019

Welcome, January – you bring us a new year, complete with its clean slate and its new beginnings!

As we think about our resolutions for 2019, we need to stretch beyond the typical commitments to getting more sleep, eating better and starting new hobbies. I want to believe that each of us is capable of so much more, and it’s time to set the bar much higher. What might we accomplish, together, by relearning some of the lessons provided to us by one of this country’s greatest leaders and teachers – Martin Luther King, Jr.?

As we enter the month that officially acknowledges the birthday and the contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr., let’s consider the aspirations that he set for himself and for us a nation. He started with the premise that as individuals, we must do our part to build and maintain a country in which every individual is assumed to have equal rights and equal value; from that foundation, we will all be much better as a whole. His inspirational leadership and his ideals were instrumental in the civil rights movement and in changing the hearts and minds of so many across the nation. How I wish he were still here with us today as I think we need his wisdom now just as much as we did in the 60s. But he left us a lasting legacy and a treasure chest of wisdom, hope and guidance through his words, and those words still serve as a strong genesis for resolutions that I hope we can all make as we enter 2019.

Who among us hasn’t lingered by Martin Luther King, Jr.’s memorial in DC? I never miss that memorial because his words – etched in stone behind his statue – never fail to inspire me and to invoke the conviction that we can, as individuals, unite together in the aspiration and resolution to build a better society through our commitment to social justice and equality for all. The return on that investment is unmatched, yielding tolerance, respect, and full value of what each individual has to offer our community when their talents are unbridled.

Colorado Public Television has long stood for social justice, the power of diverse voices in any chorus and the grace of tolerance as we work through social and cultural change. We do our best to find great programming that promotes these values. But programming only goes so far, as it is the person behind each story, each speech, each tweet or each book that influences popular thought and resulting action. And friends, we’re falling short. And we are in desperate need of effective and inspirational leadership that can propel us to a higher level of community and humanity.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.”

Whether you lead a family, a classroom, a company, a congregation or a nation, I hope we all take this charge to heart, and resolve to listen again to the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s a new year, and we have some important work to do.

Holidays. Connecting. Hope. Welcome Here.

12.01.2018

Welcome, December! This is a special month of celebrating family traditions – spending time with family we consider to be friends, and friends that we consider family. December brings out the best in all of us – we try to be a little kinder, a little more patient, and a bit more empathetic toward each other.

December 4th is Colorado Gives Day, and provides us with a great opportunity to fulfill on those ideals. Many nonprofit organizations will be reminding us of the work they do right here in Colorado. I love that we pull together to help make our communities even stronger by supporting local efforts and by sharing local stories. I give a bit more to the organizations that I support on this day because I know that my support matters.

At CPT12 we are Colorado’s storyteller, and we’ve been bringing local stories to our viewers for almost forty years. Through our collaborations and production work, we helped raise awareness for:

Colorado high schoolers, through our Both Sides of the Story series

Colorado veterans, through our work with Freedom Service Dogs and Come Back Yoga

Women Living below the poverty line, through our work with the Women’s Bean Project

Colorado kids in foster care programs through our support of Adoption Options

We do this work because we believe that there is room for all boats to rise. We believe that there is still interest in the good news that comes from inspiring stories, and within this local content, we choose to illustrate how positive impact can change people’s lives. We believe that when we share stories of hope, the entire community benefits.

As my friends and colleagues will tell you, I am uncomfortable asking for financial support. I was raised in a family that didn’t discuss finances and we sure didn’t ask for financial support from anyone. But my dedication to CPT12 and to the work we do for Colorado pushes me outside of my comfort zone and makes it a bit easier to ask you to consider supporting CPT12 (Colorado Public Television) during this year’s Colorado Gives Day campaign. When you think about the stories that really touch your heart and inspire you, there is often a video production that brought you closer to the people in the story. That’s what we do and we believe that our work makes a tremendous impact on bringing our challenges and our successes into view.

We hope that you will consider making a gift to Colorado Public Television on Colorado Gives Day; you can support our work at ColoradoGives.org/CPT12. Your voice and your engagement matter to us, it lets us know that you think we’re on the right track for Colorado. If you’ve already scheduled your gift, thank you for your support. If you are about to click on the link above, thank you! You make all the difference.

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

P.S. Let me also take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a very healthy and joyous holiday season! We have lots of great family-friendly programming planned.

In troubled times, we need you. And we’re grateful for you.

11.01.2018

Welcome, November, the month in which we dedicate a few moments to be thankful and mindful of the bounty and many blessings in our lives! Most of us will place our families and dear friends at the top of our list. If you have the good fortunate to have your health and a roof over your head, those bonuses come in as close seconds. For citizens of this country, despite our polarizing issues and natural disasters, the list of good fortune can go on for miles. Even so, I’d like to underscore something on my gratitude list.

I am grateful for our freedoms and for all who fight to preserve them. If you are civically active, if you vote, if you stand up for any group that is being marginalized or threatened, you are playing a critical role in preserving our rights and freedoms, because they must be extended to every one of us, or they mean nothing. It is our right and our responsibility to ensure that our government reflects these values within the context of who we are today. So if you did not mail your ballot by October 30th, you must get to the polls by November 6th to vote your conscience.

November also marks a day especially reserved for those who protect the ideals we stand for and protect our way of life. Veteran’s Day is November 11th, and we are given a dedicated opportunity to acknowledge the sacrifices they have and will continue to make, all for the common good of our country. Every single night as we fall to sleep with the luxury of having non-life threatening worries about our jobs, school work or home affairs, we can thank our veterans for standing in harm’s way in order to preserve our safety from all threats, including threats that we will never be aware of.

Freedom of speech and a free press are two of several key tenets of the First Amendment to our Bill of Rights. And to further the connection between citizens and a free press, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act just over 50 years ago (1967), a significant contribution to communication policy legislation. As such, Colorado Public Television is one of your public media organizations serving Colorado, and our mission is to integrate your input and your perspectives into our content service.

For nearly 40 years, we’ve welcomed diverse voices not commonly represented in commercially-forward media. Our commercial broadcasters provide exemplary service to all of us; public television just simply has a different task- we exist to invite in and to reflect the interests and viewpoints of our viewing public.

As a locally and independently programmed public television station, CPT12 provides content that can introduce new ideas that can challenge us. We all need to be challenged and to employ our own critical thinking skills in order to adapt to our changing demographics, to learn new ideas and to consider new approaches brought to us by those with life experiences different from our own.

At Colorado Public Television, we dedicate ourselves every day to being good stewards of your trust and support; to fully deliver on our mission, we need your engagement and feedback. Please tell us what you think, and what we are getting right and what we are getting wrong. We are thankful for the opportunity to be occasionally uncomfortable; we never learned anything from an echo chamber.

The Demons We Shouldn’t Be Afraid Of

10.01.2018

October is here already, and many of us are preparing for cooler weather, making holiday plans, and worrying about the frightful sugar coma that will hit our households on Halloween. However, this month’s letter will not be about Halloween, as the real-life goblins and demons overshadow other important aspects about October.

World Mental Health Day is October 16th, and this subject deserves more attention than it has been getting. With all of the information and statistics available to us, we cannot afford to marginalize the scope and impact of mental illness. Recent data tells us that in the United States, almost 1 in 5 adults experience some form of mental illness in a given year, 18% of adults deal with an anxiety disorder, and most alarmingly, 13% of all deaths among our teens are due to suicide. These figures are unacceptable, and we can do better.

A good place to start is to address the stigma associated with mental illness. We’ve made great strides in bringing once-taboo physical ailments out of the closet, and we no longer vilify those taking steps to address addictions. So why does the stigma around mental illness remain? What are we so afraid of, and why is seeking help considered a failure on someone’s part rather than taking proactive steps toward better mental – and overall – health?

Colorado Public Television, along with other media outlets, distributes information and resources available to those who need help – but stopping there is too passive and it’s not moving the needle. The best asset of any organization is the staff; and as such, I pledge to be more vocal about mental health resources in our office. Our colleagues need to hear that we value their mental health as much as their physical health.

As a community, let’s stop the wise-cracks about mental illness, keep up to date on troublesome signs that something is not right, and take two minutes to check in with someone who might be overwhelmed by life circumstances. At one time or another, we all need a bit of help or a little grace. And let’s keep talking about mental health and the resources available to us until the stigma loses its power. Coming up this month, Colorado Public Television will be broadcasting two programs that might be of interest to you: IT’S JUST ANXIETY and THE BRAIN’S WAY OF HEALING. Both programs are also available online for those who prefer on-demand viewing.

For those in crisis, or if someone you care about is struggling, please contact one of the free crisis lines available, such as Metro Crisis Services, a statewide, free service, available 24/7.

School’s back in. Are we all ready to learn?

8.31.2018

I have, and always will, love the month of September. Rather than considering January to be the month of fresh starts, for me, it will always be September, likely because I always looked forward to the new school year – what will I learn, what new project will capture my interests, and will we have a new fun kid in class? My school days are decades behind me, but I do have an inquisitive, fascinating 14-year-old son, so I now relive that anticipation through his eyes.

Great new school – check. Fascinating classes and new teachers – check. Sports team – check. Cell phone – checckkk…… not so happy about what he is exposed to on that device…

On my side of the age fence, we are all teachers to some degree for younger generations, and I’d like to think that we take that role seriously. It’s no secret that our kids pick up on our values and our ethics by watching our behavior, and quite frankly, I think we need a bit of a reboot when it comes to how we illustrate and communicate those values.

In this instant, tweet-a-thought era, social media has become a platform for hate, intolerance and disrespect. Let me jump right in to clarify that I do not fault social media platforms. Some sites have been more progressive than others in removing offensive remarks but that puts us in the endless debate of who draws the line and where. This is simply about us. The adults, and how we still struggle to express difference of opinion without vilifying another person and their point of view.

Much has already been written about the polarization of this country along political lines and we’re just not going to get anywhere if we all keep this up. The justifiable passion we feel about our core values and what they represent in our civic lives has too long been twisted in communications and allegations about which group is more evil than the other. This venomous approach to communicating is done in full public mode now with the prevalence of social media. And yes, our kids are watching. Can we take back this agnostic technical platform and leverage it for productive discourse for the common good?

If we cannot teach our children how to work together to address our biggest concerns, then who are we? This fundamental responsibility we share to the communities in which we live demands that we stop the hate speech, the vilification, and the rampant judgements about the intent of our neighbors.

We do our best to illustrate open and constructive dialog at CPT12; we have long stood for inclusivity of diverse perspectives and respectful debate. How do you think we’re doing? How do you perceive our communications in our social media? And as individuals who comprise the staff of this station, we remain committed to doing a better job of listening to other ideas on how to solve our local concerns. This is one of the most important lessons we can teach our kids, and they deserve our best effort.

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

Colorado. A Love Story.

8.7.2018

We are still a young state – not even 150 years old – yet so much has happened before 1876 and after. Coloradans live in a state with great geographic diversity, pointing with pride to the magnificent continental divide as well as the beautiful ranch- and farmlands with the homegrown produce for which we are equally famous. Statehood is just a small part of our story, though, because we’ve always been an interesting lot who’ve been fortunate enough to call Colorado home.

Some of our first inhabitants left their footprints just west of Denver – the dinosaur tracks at Dinosaur Ridge are fascinating every time I see them. Evidence of the hopes, the challenges and the lifestyles of people throughout Colorado’s recorded history provide a fascinating glimpse back in time – the Anasazi and the cliff dwellings leave visitors awestruck year after year, and the mountaineers and frontiersmen who sought land and gold, left behind abandoned mines, ghost towns and old train tracks as their footprint. Scientists, anthropologists and historians tell us a great deal about those who came hundreds and even thousands of years before us, which makes me wonder what future anthropologists will say about us when they dig up our structures.

They might wonder just why we loved our cars so much that we went out to watch movies while seated in them (has anyone tried to explain the speaker boxes to today’s teenagers?), and went out to eat at restaurants that only had car service, resting the food trays on hand crank windows.

But on the other hand, I hope they will also discover the intentional revitalization and repurposing of structures and neighborhoods that have meant a great deal to us. I love the fact that Eastern Colorado is still largely comprised of smaller, family farms; I lived in Lamar as a small child and still remember – and love – the wide-open sky. I love that the Western Slope is still home to some of the best skiing in the world (although when I first learned to ski up at Winter Park the lift pass was $7.50) yet still retains its simple, natural areas for those who just want to sit and breathe that Rocky Mountain fresh air. My family moved to the Denver area before I-70 existed west of the “valley highway,” so I’m making peace with the increased traffic because the new industries and start ups happening all around are contributing to the vibrancy and dynamic culture of Colorado.

Fewer and fewer of us are native to Colorado, but we understand what compelled you to make Colorado your new home. So those of you who are newcomers to Colorado – welcome. We’re glad you’re here. We hope you will soon take pride in this state’s history and we hope you’ll join us in the caretaking of this land and its natural resources. You are an important part of our ongoing evolution and we’re excited to see where your influence takes us.

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

Let’s take this month to celebrate independence!

7.1.2018

As we prepare to celebrate this nation’s independence, we at CPT12 are reflecting on what independence means to us, a station that proudly identifies as an independent public television station. Our mission is predicated on local service; hence, it is critical that we remain independent from any conglomerate seeking to influence our content decisions. We determine which programs we want to take from PBS, from independent producers, and from our international content sources. Our biggest influencers? You. Our viewers and members are our stakeholders, not an entity or corporation headquartered out of state.

Colorado is home to multiple public radio and television stations and independent newspapers. The tricky part for all of us is the constant rebalancing to stay aligned with Colorado’s changing demographics and interests, while staying distinct from each other. We believe the best solution is to maintain a wide, local marketplace for multiple independent – and accurate – content sources.

Consolidation in the name of efficiency results in homogenization, which results in fewer content choices and far fewer voices in the decision-making process. Limiting the number of voices in any discussion can lead to an echo chamber of perspective, which in the end, rarely does any good.

Many of us are members of aggregated content sources such as Netflix – they offer a decent variety of content at an affordable rate. But it can never be local or independent. We check in with CNN several times a day, but it does not replace the valuable, local news we get from our local commercial stations. Many of us hold subscriptions to prominent national papers, but where do we get the news and information about our own election primaries, local news, City Hall, and community events? Our local, independent newspapers. We don’t need less choice, we need more choice, and we believe that having multiple, independent, locally programmed and reported stories are a must-have for everyone.

We are all doing our best to be responsive and relevant to Colorado. We hope, that in turn, you’ll consider supporting our work so that we can all continue to provide a robust collective – yet individually independent – of choice in Colorado news, storytelling and community engagement. Coloradans are not of one mind or of one life experience, and a healthy variety of content and perspective is a critical resource for the diverse population of this state.

I like what Larry Ryckman, editor of the Colorado Sun (launching this August) had to say in a recent article in 5280: “I think the old days of viewing things as ‘if we win, you lose,’ I hope those days are over. I hope we all can win. Competition is a good thing for us… We think there are plenty of stories to go around for all of us to cover.”

We agree. There is not only room for all of us, there is a need for all of us. And at the heart of every independent media organization here in Colorado, there is room for your voice. Please let us hear from you!

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

Staying Private in a Very Public Era

6.3.2018

With online privacy concerns remaining in the forefront of news stories, we at CPT12 have been taking a second look at how we can maintain your privacy with us in every aspect of our interactions with CPT12.

Every one of us at Colorado Public Television values our privacy; after all, we’re private citizens as well and want our information protected just as you do. As any breach would be the last thing we would want to endure ourselves, we’ve taken steps to review our privacy rules and have rededicated our commitment to following the most stringent privacy policies.

On May 25, 2018, new regulations from the European Union, known as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), went into effect. While these regulations are not required in the United States, we believe that stricter privacy standards make sense for everyone. Hence, we will be keeping a close eye on the efficacy of the GDPR so that we can learn more about how we can protect you, our members.

It’s a privilege to serve our Colorado community and we really do work under the notion that we’re all neighbors. Good neighbors help each other whenever possible, and, they respect privacy fences always. With that as a baseline, we are doing everything we can to look out for the members of our CPT12 community.

So where do we start? We start by offering you complete transparency about what we use your information for, and how we protect your information. On our Privacy Policy page, you’ll find a summary of our privacy policies.

As always, we want to hear from you on ways we can continue to improve our service to Colorado, and your experience with CPT12. We welcome your feedback at any time.

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

We believe in gardening, both the dirt and digital varieties!

5.6.2018

May is finally here, and many of us Coloradans are jumping at the bit to cut away the winter bramble and to plant our gardens and fill our flowerpots. We are eager for the yield of our vegetable gardens and for the beauty that our flower beds bring to us all season. But it’s also the process of tending a garden – participating in the process of guiding living plants to their full potential – that draws most of us in.

We reap what we sow, and the relationships that we develop and foster with our families, our neighbors and our community organizations work much the same way as gardening and farming. It takes time to build a great friendship, it takes even longer to raise a child, and it can seem like an eternity to wait for the measure of our long range to build for the common good. But the harvest is always worth the time we put in to it.

At Colorado Public Television, we plant for you a digital garden that every viewer can cultivate and harvest for him- or herself. We curate content that explores and celebrates a wide variety of life experiences and perspectives in order to attract a variety of tastes. Personally, I do not like tomatoes, but I would expect that most farmer’s markets feature them along with the beets and peppers that I prefer. We like to approach our programming the same way. To deliver the most attractive harvest, we need your input. And, we hope that the variety will continue to bring you most of what you want to consume, even though there may be the stray tomato on the serving platter.

We need to know what you like so that we can plant more of it. And, we need to know what we forgot to plant. You play an extremely important role in the synergistic relationship we have with one another and we look to you to help define how we can best serve Colorado communities. In line with the adage to buy – and eat – local, we hope you will want to watch local. We thrive because you care enough to educate us about what is important to you and to your families; cultivating a successful harvest is up to both of us.

Every day, we put you at the center of our focus and it is you that we think about when we select new program series, decide to rest a series, or when we venture into new territories comprised of controversial subject matter. YOU are part of our digital garden, and we’d love to hear about how you deal with life’s droughts and how you celebrate the bounty in your life. Please let us know what type of programming feeds your mind, and how we can give you the best return on the trust you’ve placed in us.

In the words of Jenny Uglow, “We might think that we are nurturing our garden, but of course it’s our garden that is really nurturing us.”

Together We Are Stronger

4.8.2018

Everything we do at Colorado Public Television (CPT12) is driven by some pretty rock-solid core values. One of them is that the community is stronger when we stand together. That’s why we shifted our thinking on local partnerships toward a focus on the common good, not just what might be good for CPT12.

The decades that brought us the “winning through intimidation” and “crush the competition” mantras encouraged a winner-take-all environment of greed and selfish-centeredness that permeates our lives and our airways. Working together simply for the common good or for those who need us the most, is considered a weak business position. To that, we say no way!

We stand in opposition to this kind of thinking and we believe that every one of us can be a part of the solution by raising each other up so that together, we all benefit.

One way we try to walk the talk is through our community partnerships. We seek out ways to enhance the impact and reach for organizations that are trying to make the world – and specifically Colorado – a better place. You’ll find one such partnership, with the Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF), in action this month.

In honor of the April 22 Earth Day celebration, we’re co-hosting an Earth Day mini film festival with the Alamo Drafthouse-Denver and the CEFF. Together we are showcasing the work of independent filmmakers along with a panel of experts to talk about the challenges facing our planet and what all of us can do to make a positive difference.

As a small, independent PBS station, CPT12 really looks to grassroots programming, partners and collaborations as a way to expand our own understanding of what’s happening in Colorado communities. Our partnership with Adoption Options enables us to connect with and promote the well-being of children; our support of Freedom Service Dogs brought us closer to the work they are doing to provide (at no cost) rescue dogs to veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); and we continue to be inspired by our partnership with the Jewish Film Festival as we gain greater understanding of those who are singled out for hate, no matter their differences.

And together with you, our viewers and members, we can all raise our voices against greed, intolerance, and blind-sidedness toward those with different life experiences and perspectives. Those are the very people we stand to learn the most from and want to thrive in our communities.

What are your core values and how do you think they can best support a great community for all? We really want to know. Your feedback and opinions are always welcome here.

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

March On

3.1.2018

Welcome to March, a month who’s name is being taken literally as people participate in marches and demonstrations, voicing their opinions of support or protest. It is interesting that our First Amendment continues to this day to cause so much angst as well as pride. The right to free speech and public assembly is critical to every American, but exercising these rights can be questioned when the opinions expressed don’t mirror our own.

Recent tragic events have ignited our young people on a scale and in coordination that I’ve not previously seen, and regardless of where any one of us stands on the issues, we need to embrace the fact that we are raising a generation that cares enough to take a stand and engage in the process of civil discourse. Let’s support that passion in our young people. In standing up for the Second Amendment, we must protect against denying First Amendments rights. Let’s also hold back accusations and vilification of those who support legal and responsible firearm ownership.

I hope that we can embrace the responsibilities that come with the right to peaceful assembly, free speech and a free press, the responsibility for truthfulness and respect for our fellow citizens. It is not a terrible thing to take a stand, it keeps us from becoming “sheeple”; we just need to disagree constructively.

Here at CPT12, when we walk through our front door, we understand that we are here to do a job for you. It is our responsibility to uphold the trust and value that you’ve placed in PBS and in this community asset. You count on us to encourage open dialogue and to present many scientific, political, and philosophical opinions and ideas so that you can make informed decisions yourselves.

For over 38 years, CPT12 has taken a stand that still holds today – we will unabashedly present to you thoughtful, relevant and diverse information that may invite controversy. Some of our content will challenge you, some may open your mind to a new approach, and some will confirm your long-held opinions and beliefs. We won’t tell you what to think. It’s our highest priority to give you something to think about.

At CPT12, we take our responsibility to provide new information and different perspectives very seriously. We believe that it’s of paramount importance that we share stories that differ from our own. We take this stand because we, as a community, need opinions other than our own to make the most informed decisions we can.

Together, we can all continue to celebrate and treasure the freedoms and rights that make Colorado and this country so great. Let’s march on.

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

P.S. During our special programming in March, we will be asking for your support. We hope that you will consider the value that engagement with many perspectives and viewpoints bring to our discussions, particularly the difficult ones.

Nerd Love

2.2.2018

Welcome to February, the designated month in which we proclaim our love for family and friends! And this month at Colorado Public Television, we are going to shine some love on the PBS Nerd.

No longer relegated to being social outcasts, Nerds are now changing the world, and we owe them our love and gratitude.

Just like the 80’s movie, Revenge of the Nerds, those who are confident enough to chart their own path rather than travel the easier, well-worn generic highway endorsed by the masses, Nerds have long imagined something better. Then they build it. And they manage to accomplish something greater without diminishing others or causing harm and mayhem. Mr. Rogers would have loved all Nerds, but l think he’d have a special place in his heart for today’s Nerd.

Today’s Nerd is thinking as much about what can benefit the common good as much as what can benefit his or her own bank account. Music Nerds are creating the soundtrack of our time, construction Nerds build our homes, nature Nerds care-take our wildlife and environment, and science Nerds study, explore and invent incredible advancements that save lives and build better communities.

In my best moments, I am a Nerd. And at Colorado Public Television, we hope you are too! Let’s be our best selves and never stop learning, discovering, creating and caring.

Yesterday we launched our PBS Nerd campaign with a special offer that helps you show off your inner Nerd love. With a sustaining membership of just $5/month, you’ll get an awesome PBS Nerd t-shirt to wear with pride. Go to CPT12.org/Nerd to learn more.

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

P.S. By way of introduction, I’m Kim Johnson, President and General Manager of Colorado Public Television. Each month I’ll be sharing news, information and thoughts right here. I’d love to hear what you think.

World View, Community Voice.

12.1.2016

Those words are more to us than just our tag line – they guide our content choices, inspire our partnerships, and remind us that everyday – we have the privilege of welcoming your voice into our public media service to Colorado.

Since 1979, viewers like you have helped us to broaden our programming service by sharing your life experiences, your views on local and global events and your commitment to nurture the hearts and minds of our young people. Together, we’ve addressed our community’s toughest challenges through local content that welcomes diverse perspectives with sensitivity and integrity. Together, we champion our triumphs and our trials. This is the relationship we have built with you and it reflects the respect we have for your viewpoints and your values.

Let me share with you a few highlights of what we were able to accomplish in 2016 with your influence and your support:

We launched a new programming service to Colorado called FNX (First Nations Experience), bringing our viewers a rich array of documentaries, dramas, dialog and artistry from Native American and Pacific Islander experiences. In 2016, we created local content in partnership with members of our Native American community that augments this programming service on channel 12.2.

Wednesday nights are curated around alternative ideas and critical thinking. Every Wednesday night, tune in to our channel 12.1 for newly acquired, independent documentaries that will enlighten, challenge, entertain and inspire. We have a robust history of acquiring and producing programs that confront the status quo and we’re adding even more.

Kids matter more than ever. We’ve continued our work as a national partner in the American Graduate initiative, seeking to improve graduation rates among our young people, particularly those living in poverty. We produced an American Graduate documentary, “Power of Story” that helped to elevate student voices. Plus, we’re celebrating student achievement through our Both Sides of the Story series and in our award-winning line up of children’s programming every day.

Promoting a stronger Colorado. We believe that when Colorado’s non-profit community is well supported, we all benefit. For the seventh consecutive year, CPT12 has served as a media partner for Colorado Gives Day, producing promotional spots to encourage statewide giving and promoting small nonprofits with our Media Prize.

Working together we can move the needle in so many positive directions, and we look forward to another year of sharing experiences and building even greater connections to those whose life experiences and perspectives are different from our own. Please stay tuned, stay engaged and let us know how you think we’re doing. Your voice matters and we’re listening.

Sincerely,
Kim Johnson
President & General Manager

P.S. We have a very exciting programming announcement coming in January and five – yes 5! – Red Rocks concerts planned for 2017. Stay tuned as we say…